Cup dispenser with bristle retaining elements



7 Aug. 19,1969 I v A, MOKENNA CUP DISPENSER WITH BRISTLE, RETAININGELEMENTS Filed Dec. 28, 1956 INVENTOR- CHARLES A. Mc KENNA ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent 3,462,044 CUP DISPENSER WITH BRISTLE RETAININGELEMENTS Charles A. McKenna, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Solo CupCompany, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 28, 1966,Ser. No. 605,412 Int. Cl. A47f 1/04; G07f 11/16 U.S. Cl. 221308 3 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dispenser for paper cups or the like, suchas plastic, in which the means for retaining the cups in a stack in thedispenser and for discharging single cups are bristled members whereinthe bristles engage the rims of the lowermost cups in functioning toretain or to discharge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a dispenser forcups, made of paper, plastic or the like, and more particularly to theprovision of a supporting and dispensing means which supports a stack ofcups in the dispenser and permits their withdrawal one at a time.

In the past, many different structures have been used in cup dispensersas combination supports and dispensing means. These have included ribsof various shapes, springloaded depressible vertical segments,spring-loaded depressable balls, and others. Almost all of these earlierstructures have one fault in commonthey frequently dispense more thanone cup at a time. This results in a waste of cups.

SUMMARY The use of bristled retaining means in a cup dispenser solvesthe problem of wastage of cups. The bristles provide a continuing thoughindividual support of the cups at the rim. As the lowest cup is pulleddownwardly from the stack, the rim of that cup is pulled through thegrip of many bristles, distorting those bristles with which it comes incontact. However, the movement of the lowermost cup, and, therefore, itsrim, does not distort or disturb any bristles which are above the rim ofthat cup. Those bristles continue to support those cups above the bottomone.

It is also advantageous to provide supporting bristles adjacent thedischarge opening which are longer than those farther up inside thedispenser. The shorter bristles are stiffer and tend to support theweight of the stack of cups, while the longer bristles tend to permitthe withdrawal of a single cup at a time.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a cup dispenserhaving cup-retainer means which function to dispense the cups one at atime.

It is a further object to provide a supporting member formed of bristlesand attached to the inside wall of the dispenser whereby the bristlesproject inwardly toward the cups so as to engage the cups in supportingrelationship.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bristledsupporting and dispensing structure in which the bristles nearest thebottom of the dispenser are longer than those thereabove.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a view in vertical section ofa cup dispenser having bristled retainer means, with the lowermost cuppartially withdrawn.

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal section on the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view in horizontal section similar to FIG. 2, showing theuse of three retainer groups.

3,462,044 Patented Aug. 19, 1969 FIG. 4 is a view in side elevation ofone of the brush elements, showing that the upper bristles are shorterthan the lower bristles.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The retainer-dispensing meanswhich are the subject of this invention are shown in the drawings asmounted in a conventional tubular dispenser 10. The dispenser 10 isequipped with any sort of a conventional mounting means (not shown)whereby the dispenser 10 may be held in position on a vertical surface,such as a wall of a room or a cabinet. Such mounting means constitutesno part of this invention.

The retainer dispensing means 12 comprises a backing member 14, which isattached by any suitable means such as an adhesive, to the inner wall ofthe dispenser 10. The backing member 14 supports bristles 16 which,without a load, project substantially horizontally toward the verticalaxis of the dispenser 10. The backing member 14 can also be mounted inthe wall of the dispenser 10 or outside that wall in such manner thatthe bristles 16 project inwardly in the dispenser 1t and toward itsvertical axis.

I prefer to use a construction in which the lower bristles 16 (thosecloser to the discharge opening of the dispenser) are longer than thebristles 16 which are located at the upper end of the dispensing means12. The shorter and stiffer upper bristles then support the weight ofthe column of cups 18, while the longer lower bristles tend to separateout the single cup 26 at the bottom, from the remainder of the column ofcups 18, for withdrawal.

In use the column of cups 118 is supported by the upper bristles 16 bythe engagement of those bristles 16 with several of the rolled rims 22of the cups 18. Depending on the length and relative stiffness of thebristles 16 this contact of the bristles 16 will be with one to three ofthe rims 22 of the cups 18. During withdrawal of the bottom cup 20, therim 22 thereof bends the lower bristles 16 as the cup 20 is withdrawn.As the rim 22 passes the individual bristles 16, those bristles snapback toward a horizontal position and engage the rim 22 or the side wallof the next cup in the column of cups 18.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser for paper cups and the like, means for retaining thecups in the dispenser and for permitting their withdrawal comprising aplurality of members presenting bristles projecting substantiallyperpendicularly toward the axis of the dispenser a distance sufiicientlyto engage the rims of cups positioned within the dispenser.

2. Retainer means for supporting cups in a dispenser comprising abrush-like element having bristles which project perpendicularly towardthe axis of the dispenser a distance sufficient to engage the cups inthe dispenser in a supporting relationship.

3. Retainer means according to claim 2 wherein the bristles adjacent thedischarge end of the dispenser are longer than the bristles at theopposite end of the retainer means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,108,714 10/1963 OBrien 22l308 X3,342,375 9/1967 Johnson et al. 22l308 3,193,139 7/1965 Iannone et al.22l308 3,315,842 4/1967 McGurk 22l310 FOREIGN PATENTS 666,030 2/ 1952Great Britain.

STANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner

